The Wilton Soccer Association is dedicated to providing Wilton children, their families and the community with a positive soccer experience at all skill levels that emphasizes having fun, building character through sportsmanship, coaching excellence, te

Objective: Passing gameDescription: Four players with one ball versus one player in designated area. Player objective is to keep the ball away from the one defender with good passing. Defender in the middle is rotated.

Description: Coach with a soft ball in hands. Players form a circle around coach. Coach throws ball at one player and says "head it" or "catch it" while the ball is in the air. The player must react quickly and do the opposite. Play continuous until there is one player remaining who is the winner.

Description: Coach forms a 5 x 5 yd box with 4 cones. There is a player in each side of the square. Two players next to each other are on the same team. Object of the game is for one partner to throw the ball to the other partner who must head the ball between the cones of the opposing players. Opposing player can use their hands and play goalkeeper. Teams alternate taking turns.

Coaching Points: Heading technique, Eye on the ball, Contact on forehead, Light toss, Direction of header. If a team can produce a double header in a row without hitting the ground and then score, it is 3 points

Objective: Dribbling ControlDescription: Players dribble ball in designated area and coach tries to tag them. Players objective is to keep control of the ball without being tagged by coach.Coaching Points: Surface of the foot, Close control, Head up, Use both feet

Description: One ball per player. Player throws ball in air and traps. Use the following traps: 1. Sole of foot (as it hits the ground) 2. Shoelace (before it hits the ground) 3. Thigh trap then shoelace or sole of foot trap. 4. Chest trap then shoelace or sole of foot trap.

Coaching Points: Soft control, Eye on the ball, Choice of control

Progression: Players dribble and coach calls out number 1 to 4 and players must perform trap.

Objective: Coordination & Decision making gameDescription: One ball per player. Coach gives instruction on how players need to retrieve ball back to coach. Each playerhand delivers ball to coach, coach throws ball out and player retrieves ball as quickly as possible back to coach.

Description: Four corners in a square around 6 yards by 6 yards. Seven balls in the middle of the square. Line up players at each corner that form a team. One player from each corner/ team goes at one time. The other players are sitting down away from corner and not participating or helping teammate. On coaches signal, each player must run and pick up one ball at a time with their hands and carry it back to their corner. The game ends when one time collects 3 balls in their corner. You CAN steal balls from someone else’s corner!

Coaching Points: Quick reaction, Quick thinking, Teamwork, Awareness. You must bring the ball back with your feet by dribbling

Description: Two players with one ball in designated area. The other half hold the ball in their hands with their legs wide open. Players objective is to work with partner and try and score as many goals as possible. Players score a goal by passing the ball through the legs of other players to their partner. Note- they must score in every goal before going back to the same goal.

Description: Half of the players dribble ball in designated area. The other half hold the ball in their hands with their legs wide open. Players objective is to try and dribble the ball and try and score as many goals as possible. Players score a goal by kicking the ball through the legs of the other players. Note- They must score in every goal before going back to the same goal.

Coaching Points: Close control, Surface of the foot, Head up, Awareness of space

Description: One player stands over the ball. Three players surround this one player protecting the ball. Object of the game is for the three players to try and knock the ball away from the one player without being tagged. If you are tagged, you are frozen.

Objective: Dribbling and Motor SkillsDescription: Players dribble ball in designated area. Players objective is to try and tag other players on the knee whilemaintaining control of their ball. Player with the most knee tag wins!

Coaching Points: Surface of the foot, Close control, Head up, Coordination

Objective: Dribbling and controlDescription: Players dribble ball in designated area. Players objective is to try and kncokout other players ball whilecontrolling their ball and keeping it safe in the area.

Coaching Points: Surface of the foot, Close control, Head up, Use both feet

Description: Can be done with four, six, eight, ten or twelve players. Group of players form a circle and extend hands towards the center of the circle. All players cross their arms and connect hands within the circle. Players cannot have the same two hands of another player. On coaches signal, the players must untangle arms and hands without releasing hands and create a perfect circle.

Description: Two teams with one ball assigned to each team. Coach throws both balls in different directions. The players from each team must follow their team's ball. First player must pick up the ball, and relay it backwards to teammates under the coaches restriction to the back of the line. The last player must then run with the ball to the front of the line. The whole team must complete the process and sit down and say finished. First team finished gets a point.

Coaching Points: Quick reaction to get the ball, Work together, Communicate, Organize, Encourage each other

Progression: Mix it up with different ways of getting the ball to the back of the line. For example: twist, over the head, under the legs, over and under. For older kids, have them dribble the ball to the front of the line. Even zig zag dribble through teammates.

The FIFA 11+ was designed by a panel of experts from around the world. These people are experts in jury prevention, and they have come up with an easy-to-perform set of warm-up exercises that can literally half the amount of injuries that your team may suffer from.

Research has shown that teams that have implemented The 11+ into their warm-up have reduced injuries by 35%, with more severe injuries reduced by 48%.

What is It?

Part 1: running exercises at a slow speed combined with active stretching and controlled partner contacts;

Part 2: six sets of exercises focusing on core and leg strength, balance and plyometrics/ agility, each with three levels of increasing difficulty; and

Part 3: running exercises at moderate / high speed combined with planting / cutting movements. A key point in the programme is to use the proper technique during all of the exercises. pay full attention to correct posture and good body control, including straight leg alignment, knee-over-toe position and soft landings.